The above Caption seems to be elusive and deceiving for a reader. This Caption has drawn someone as well as been a blessing to a few families who have been victims of Naga factional supremacy struggle. This writer has witnessed a gathering but a different in two villages under Kiphire District in 2006. Many reconciliation programmes have been held thus far and may we continue to see those waves grow stronger and stronger to water the dry land of our Nagas’ territory. Today thousand of effected families are living in the house of pain, guilt and hatred. When one who has become part of our lives is taken forcefully and killed, can those victims’ families feel unmoved and say its okay? Many families sent their children for the defense of this Motherland, not for factional interest. Today one camp will continue to dominate one another and that is in the interest of their camp and that has alienated as well as gaps are occurring at high velocity between faction and Naga people.
Naga victims’ families are having lots of inferior qualities in their personal lives not because they want those qualities to grew inside. But many have no option and these inferior qualities like, guilt, shame, and, hatred in a very subtle way have become part their personality. Only few have been able to break through from the bondage of these unwanted elements.
Yesterday if only our factional leaders have learn this valuable and powerful tool for transforming our violence. “Forgiveness and Hope” we will not land in this ugly scene today. Some victims might have committed some offences but killing might have reduced at most. If we see a single life is precious higher than any factional interest as a whole. Life is a gift from above. Faction is man made. Faction cannot give or create another being but they can only spares human lives. If they can see an image of God in other brother or sister who have different ideology. National workers should stand for the welfare of every single Naga. They should give protection to every single Naga whose life is in jeopardy from aggressor. Today national worker should unflagging stand for single Naga life, if not to address them as national worker, definition will refuse to define them as patriotic person. A single life can come and form a group, life which is alive can give hope for any Naga national organization for Naga liberation. Any leaders who cannot respect and see the greatest gift of God as priceless are degrading their own self as person. They are trying to dehumanizing them self not others. In the long run they will give no respect for self because they see no image of God in other neither in self. These kinds of leaders destroy their being of “self” and they will even destroy other because respect grow from within first. These kinds of leader still give destruction, hatred, guilt and shame to nation when they are alive.
In our busy schedule if we only have time to listen they are many souls who are willing to tell their sad tales that have happen to them in their life journey in our nation. Amnesty declarations by leaders give them no relief and hope. Only a human touch approach is need by those who have been victims in any crisis. They are willing to hear the word of comfort and empathy as well to hear the word of urgency about forgiveness of Christ to live their life onward. They need our encouragement and our counsel. If possible these victims families will be willing if those who have inflicted pain to help them in forgiving in the process of healing their emotional wounds. That is what even our ailing society is longing to hear that powerful word, ‘forgive us.’ When will these two words become part of our being as national leaders? Who are willing to pour from deep within a heart that has no reservation?
Today many of our national leaders are willing to give their time, energy, and life but many have failed in their priority. They have misplaced their priority. Where have you placed your heart? Many are willing to give their life but not their heart. Kindly place your heart in first priority. Today, perhaps many of our national leaders have lack in passion and desire and many are growing too cold because of this “killing is acceptable” for them but not for civilized Naga people. Until love is constantly recharged many leaders will fall into the category of fanaticism.
In 2006 under Kiphire district there was a gathering with a different, when the world were focusing upon the foot ball world cup. This programmed was held on 25 June 2006 at Seothsing village and 2 July 2006 at Phisami village. The theme of this gathering was “An evening of Forgiveness and Hope.” This gathering was held in order to honor those victims’ families who were willing to forgive those who have killed their own kith and kin during Naga factional war. The venue was held at church respectively. This is a process and path way to healing. It touches the whole community as they witness those victims families stood and lit a candle of peace. One by one each of the victim families stood and pronounces “we forgive in the name of God who has killed our family member. May God forgive those who have inflicted this pain to us?” One young man stood and said, we forgive those who have killed my dad (innocent victim). It is also good to remember by readers that one of the victim families were refused to give the death body for funeral service. It still hunts them till today. But this programme has given them at least hoped to forgive those who have done injustice to them. These messages still linger on to give hope even to those who are same condition as that of these victims from these two villages from our Naga nation. This programmed was not held to condemn our national leaders or those killers but people are dying without giving chance to forgive one another. All responsible Nagas have time to share hope to our fellow Naga brothers and sister who are in need of our empathy. We can have different creative programmers for “hope sharing.” We don’t need to be in Naga peace committee to share this hope if we have a heart for our people.
Today Naga national leaders demand unflagging support and we hope those demands are legally and morally right. We have to give our heart and time for this nation and no powerful nation can stop that consciousness. Leaders have to see the other side of the face of the society that Naga people in general have our expectation from them. We expect them to respect the life of all the Nagas as whole .We all have to vicissitude our thinking pattern today to make our dwelling place safe and sound. According to Nagaland post report on March 27. 270(sic) killed from March 2004 to 11 March 2007. 101 (IM), 110 (K), 25 (FGN), 35 (civilians). These people are not some objects to shoot as mere commodity. Those faction soldiers are not born from a different camp to be killed like wild animals. They have their dearest family back at home. Where are the testimony of our leaders and where the young generation will focus?
Today national worker have to learn the value of hackneyed word “forgiveness.” Forgiveness comes when we sacrifice our ego at the thorn of God and our Nation. This forgiveness is to receive as well to share if we learn to hang our prides and righteousness at the Cross of Jesus Christ. If we are willing to learn from the core of our being about Christ forgiveness. Our argument and selfishness become alright when we view and focus upon the holiness of God. We learn not to prattle before God and before God’s people. Today we see National workers pray and fast, though it is not evil and this writer cannot be judgmental but we should say a right prayer. We pray only to kill to raise our killing rate higher. We pray from divided Naga house. Our prayers are filled with blood and tears of our brothers and sisters. We have to go back to Biblical prayer not factional interest prayer (Isaiah 58). We should pray from the core of our heart. We need to pray a sinner’s prayer but we have a capability to check ourselves and our supplication. For our prayer are before a mighty thorn of Holy God. Yes we are finite being and fallible but we can pray in a better way than what we are today. We can create a better environment as God’s instrument. We can live and respect and pray together than what we are today. Remember these environments are our own creation. These are the days to pray a prayer of Nehemiah (Neh. 1) Today if we cannot forgive others than how do we pray. Is that a prayer or prattle before God? Jesus said’ “Father forgives them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Can we humbly receive forgiveness and share this forgiveness today when we are alive?
H. Apise, Purana Bazar, Dimapur
N.B. The writer is a Pastor of Sangtam Baptist Church Purana Bazar Dimapur
